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2018 Miss Manteca contest Saturday
2017 Miss Manteca and Manteca City Ambassador, Christina Arcos and Gabe Ortega
2017 Miss Manteca and Manteca City Ambassador, Christina Arcos and Gabe Ortega

 Who will reign as the 50th Miss Manteca?

That answer — along with who will secure other Manteca Youth Focus titles — will be answered during the 2018 scholarship competition taking place Saturday, June 23, at 2 p.m. at the Calvary Community Church on Lathrop Road. Tickets are $10 online at mantecayouthfocus.com or at the door.

The competition, under the direction of MYF board members Douglas Scott, Kristin Scott, and Amanda Rosas will feature the current reigning titleholders including Christina Arcos - Miss Manteca, Gabriel Ortega - Manteca City Ambassador, Nicklau Pio - Teen Manteca City Ambassador, Danielle Grabowski - Miss Young Manteca, and Dylan Owens - Young Manteca City Ambassador Dylan Owens.

In addition to the sparkling crowns and shining medals awarded, every youth participant in each of the three age divisions will earn an educational scholarship with top prizes of $1500 going to Miss Manteca, $500 each to Miss Teen Manteca and Teen Manteca City Ambassador and $200 for Miss Young Manteca. Each will also earn an All-Star Award in the phase of competition they earned their personal best. The phases of competition for all ages include 20% each for Community Service and Scholastic Achievement, and 15% each for Personality Interview, Stage Arts, Impromptu Question and Community Advocacy Speech.

Let’s meet the young men and women of achievement vying for the titles this year:


Miss Manteca 2018 Contestants (Open to ages 16-20): 

M1 Molly Dua, Age 16

School: Manteca High

Sponsors: Komal Gupta Notary Public; Erin Shimmer & Paparazzi; Spreckels Park Dental; Leonard Photography; and Fairway Financial Mortgage Real Estate. 

Stage Arts: Polynesian dance

M2 Charissa Goodman, Age 18

School: Recent graduate of Sierra High School; will attend Sacramento State

Sponsor: Bron Tapes

Stage Arts: Dance 

M3 Ashlynn Nussbaumer, Age 16

School: Big Valley Christian High School in Modesto 

Sponsor:  Farmers Insurance Agent – Debra Van Essen 

Stage Arts: Monologue  

M4 Carolina Ortega, Age 20

School: University of the Pacific Eberhardt School of Business 

Sponsor: Mundo De Fantasia Formal Wear

Stage Arts: Vocal 


Teen Manteca City Ambassador Candidate for 2018 (Open to ages 13-15):

TA1 Josiah Lott, Age 13

School: River Islands Technology Academy in Lathrop

Sponsor: Uplifting Athlete Performance

Stage Arts: Football demo

Miss Teen Manteca 2018 Contestants (Open to ages 13-15):

T1 Jena Arehart, Age 15

School: Manteca High School 

Sponsor: Carolyn Cardoza Broker/Realtor

Stage Arts: Vocal 

T2 Ixaret Avina, Age 13

School: Mossdale Elementary in Lathrop

Sponsor: H & R Realty

Stage Arts: Vocal 

T3 Arveen Birdi, Age 13-year

School: River Islands Technology Academy in Lathrop

Sponsor: The Birdi and Singh families

Stage Arts: Classical Bollywood dance 

T4 Katie Kotch, Age 14

School: Manteca High 

Sponsor: Larry’s Backflow Prevention Service

Stage Arts: Vocal 

Miss Young Manteca 2018 Contestants (Open to ages 10-12)

Y1 Sopie Cockriel, Age 10

School: St. Anthony’s

Sponsor: the Cockriel family

Stage Arts: Vocal 

Y2 Lauren Cross, Age 11 

School: Walter Woodward Elementary 

Sponsor: the Grabowski and Navarro families

Stage Arts: Vocal 

Y3 Madilyn Garrison, Age 11 years

School: Ripon Christian 

Sponsor: Howard Miller, DPM and Steve Garrison Plumbing

Stage Arts: Dance.

Y4 Alani Mullenix, Age 11 years

School: St. Anthony’s

Sponsor: George Shiao, DMD, Janice Liao, DMD, and the Mallorca Family

Stage Arts: Vocal

Y5 Mallory Myers, Age 11 

School: Great Valley Academy

Sponsor: Guido’s Take-U-Bake Pizza and Dowell-Hoogendoorn Chiropractic

Stage Arts: Flute

Manteca has so much to be proud of in remembering and honoring our Miss Manteca’s of the past and present. They are excited to celebrate the vibrant 50-year history at the upcoming competition on Saturday. Hosted by MYF alumi Matt Vaughan and Dan Lansford, former Manteca City Ambassadors and California State Ambassadors, the program will feature entertainment and special appearances by over 20 Miss Manteca’s, the single largest gathering of the titleholders ever. In addition to the phenomenal presentation of the contestants on-stage, Miss Manteca 1970, Rhonda Behlen-Waddell will also help lead the impromptu question portion of the competition. Tickets are just $10 and available for purchase online at mantecayouthfocus.org or at the door.

Still looking for more fun facts about Miss Manteca? More than 80% have gone on to pursue higher education. There have been two mother-daughter duos who each served as Miss Manteca; Paula Langum-Fonseca and her daughter, Amber Fonseca (1977 and 2005 respectively), and Shim Lacy and her daughter, Victoria Watson (1990 and 2011 respectively). There has also been one set of Miss Manteca siblings, the Priest sisters, Kristina (2001-02) and Michelle (2004). Two Miss Manteca’s earned the title of Miss San Joaquin County, 1968 Karla Anderson-Bishop and 1978 Marcie Hansen, four Miss Manteca’s went on to become Miss California State, 2000 Amber Adams-Campbell, 2001-02 Priest-Stamper, 2009 Amanda Rosas and 2012 Myklyn Balmut, and one is the current reigning Mrs. California – 1990 Shim Lacy. Please visit mantecayouthfocus.org for complete listing of Miss Manteca’s throughout history. Also visit the Manteca Historical Society Museum for a complete array of Miss Manteca portraits and memorabilia.